Just got around to taking a look at Rick Latona’s new auction platform, Latonas.com and like what I see. Here’s what I think he is doing right…
1. I can see important domains stats like cost per click (CPC), exact Google searches at a glance for each listing.
This is a big time saver. If I’m considering bidding on a keyword name, the first thing I do is run it through Google’s keyword tool to see search demand and CPC. Thanks Rick for saving me some time. Hopefully, this will encourage better quality listings and bring back some frustrated buyers - no more researching hundreds of names only to find out that 95% of them have no real demand.
2. Listings and descriptions can be easily scanned from the main auction page. Much nicer than hoverable popovers or small description links that most buyers never click. It’s always surprised me how many auction platforms bury descriptions a level or two deep and make it hard for sellers to highlight the benefits of their domain and buyers to learn about each domain.
3. Descriptions seem to be more metric based and less ‘fluff’. Don’t know if this is a result of system programming or good human editing, but many of the domain descriptions are actually helpful (e.g. number of incoming links and pages indexed by Google). I know these factors can change quickly when a name changes hands, but they can contribute to the value of a name and are good to be aware of.
4. Nice look at feel, including a custom graphic for each name. If a name is worth hundreds or thousands of dollars, it’s probably worth having a graphic artist spend a few minutes making up a good graphic for it. The only place I have seen this before is at DotSauce’s AQDN.com. It’s nice to see a major auction platform include this and is a very nice touch.
Suggestions
I know the site is still in beta mode, but here are a couple of features I hope they consider adding down the road…
- Simplified view - I like the detailed info, but some might find it useful to have an option for quick summary view. Ideally, it would be nice to be able to cut and paste all domains listed on a page to quickly plug them into other services like Valuate.com.
- Ability to export - The ability to export auction data to .csv or excel format might be helpful for some advanced domainers who have their own tracking systems.
- Advanced search capability - As a big keyword domainer, I would love to have the ability to search for specific demand/CPC/etc. E.g. list all .com domains with a CPC over $2 and more than 5,000 exact searches per month.
I think it makes good sense to test the platform out with a lower volume charity auction and wish Rick and Whypark the best of luck in this week’s auction. If you are interested in trying out the system or bidding in the auction you can follow this link.
I came across some available exact match .com names today and thought it would be interesting to run them through Francois’ new Valuate.com service.
Here is an overview of the results…
- The appraisals varied from $110 - $680
- Total appraisal for all 15 names was $4,210
- Highest CPC was $11.50
All names are currently available for registration as of the time of this post. Here is a screenshot listing 7 of the domains:
If you would like to see an advance copy of the 8 additional domains (obscured above), signup for my free e-mail newsletter here. I’ll be sending out part two of this post to my subscribers before publishing it.
In the meantime, you might want to check out my latest site - DomainingMindmap.com, my personal mindmap containing the domaining tools I use to find, develop and sell domains.
Wanted to pass along the following exact match .com keyword domains which are currently available for hand registration (as of 3:00 PM). All have good search demand with numerous Adwords advertisers. Average cost per click ranges from $2.14 to $26.
1. ThermalPhotoPrinters.com: (390/2900 searches per month, $8.31 CPC)
2. DoubleDVDCases.com (880/3600 searches per month, $2.14 CPC)
3. RAIDDataRecoveryService.com: (260 exact monthly searches, $26.32 CPC )
Search demand is a little less than what I usually look for, but the high $26.32 CPC should more than make up for this. Data recovery domains tend to do especially well with parking and Adsense. In case you aren’t a techie, RAID stands for a redundant array of disks. RAID setups are typically used by larger organizations to protect mission critical data. When these arrays fail, companies often pay thousands of dollars to salvage the data - hence the very high CPC.
That’s it for today. Most names posted go within minutes. If you are interested in receiving future available minisite domains…
- Subscribe here to receive 2 minute advance e-mail notification of available names.
- Follow me at @DomainTweeter.
- Since many names I post receive simultaneous registrations, you may want to use a fast registrar and have your billing information pre-programmed. Or use a program like Roboform to fill in your information.
As always, any feedback / comments appreciated.
If you are interested in what domaining tools I use to buy, sell and monetize domain names, I’ve decided to open up my private domaining mindmap to the domainer community and have just launched a new site called DomainingMindmap.com.
In case you haven’t used a mindmap before, it’s an organized brain dump about a subject. A good mindmap can be invaluable when trying to master a body of knowledge. I created DomainingMindmap by reviewing my past 15 years of domaining bookmarks and notes and add to it on a daily basis as I discover new tools. My mindmap currently has 512 topics with notes and annotated links to hundreds of tools including…
- Domain Research - Keyword research, link popularity, traffic, domain pricing, geo tools, site history, business research and trademark tools.
- Minisite Development and Domain Monetization - Domain parking, mini site development services, graphic designers, copyrighting and content authors.
- Registering new domains - Domain suggestion and generation tools, bulk check tools and domainer friendly registrars.
- Catching expired names - Understanding the drop process, determining which names are dropping, and determining the best way to backorder names.
- Buying and selling domains - Recommended marketplaces, domain brokers,appraisal services and tools to find end users.
- Domaining blogs, news, forums and guides as well as Twitter domaining tools.
- Domain conference information, accounting, financing and domain management tools.
I’ve tried to structure the mindmap so that it can be easily browsed and hope it will be helpful to new domainers as well as seasoned pros. It’s currently in beta mode, so any feedback or suggestions are much appreciated!
Thanks.
DomainTweeter
Wanted to take a few minutes and post a few specializd niche domains that are currently available for hand registration. Since most posted names usually go within the first few minutes, I thought I would try something different today…
I’ll be listing 5 available domains, one at a time on this page. If you register one, please post a comment claiming it and I’ll update this post with the next one.
1. PortableBoomBoxes.com - 390 monthly searches / $1.55 CPC - Nice name for a niche minisite. Could be a good name for testing out Amazon.com’s Astore tool or use a free service like Devhub. Product examples.
2. PhotochromaticLenses.com - 1000 monthly searches / $1.26 CPC. Exact match category domain. Product examples.
3. HepaFilterVacuums.com - $8.14 CPC / 590 searches per month. Nice cost per click on this one. Can be monetized with a combination of Adsense / affiliate revenue. Note: Just noticed that the .info version is already registered and appears to be a Whypark site.
4. CarCompanyInsurance.net - $20.64 CPC / 60,500 searches per month. This is one competitive niche with great demand and CPC. Might be worth contact some of these 67 advertisers. Name can be useful for SEO purposes, lead generation or Adwords optimization. (.com/.org and co.uk already registered)
5. InexpensiveHotels.us $3.08 CPC / 33,100 searches per month. Good name for a directory or travel blog.
That’s it for today. Most names posted go within minutes. If you are interested in receiving future available domains…
- Subscribe here to receive 2 minute advance e-mail notification of available names.
- Follow me at @DomainTweeter.
- Since many names I post receive simultaneous registrations, you may want to use a fast registrar and have your billing information pre-programmed. Or use a program like Roboform to fill in your information.
Another busy week as I’m in the final stages of launching a new domaining tool. If you’d like to have access, signup here for my newsletter - as I’ll be announcing the tool to my subscribers first.
Didn’t have time to hyperlink them all to product examples and potential end users, but here are some interesting exact match domains. All are available as of the time of this post.
1. RollingHillsCA.com - This GEO domain receives 1,900 monthly Google searches with a CPC of $1.68. The town itself is small, but has a medium income in excess of $200,000.
Possible uses: parking, minisite, resale to local real estate agent.
2. NJCarDealerships.com - 260 monthly Google searches / $2.90 CPC. Could make an interesting revenue producing directory. Provide basic listings for free and sell enhanced listings to dealers who want to set themselves apart from competitors.
3. LinuxMediaServer.com - 1,600 monthly Google searches / $2.36 CPC
4. WebHostSearchEngine.com - Low search volume (170 monthly), but $9.01 CPC. Might make a nice affiliate driven hosting resource.
5. MusicalBirthdayCard.com - 480 monthly Google searches / $.90. Plural version would be better, but this one still has some good possibilities.
* Keep in mind all of the monthly searches are from August (slowest month of year), so I would expect slightly higher demand than listed.
I’m also selling the following domain today…
LEDChristmasLights.net: LED christmas lights are forecast to be one of the hottest new trends in seasonal lighting this year due to demand for ‘green’ and energy efficient products. How popular will they be? Even in August, the term ‘led christmas lights’ received 33,100 searches on Google, with advertisers paying $1.68 a click to reach this audience. Ideal for end user resale or mini/full development. You can view the listing here.
That’s it for today. Most names posted go within minutes. If you are interested in receiving future available domains…
- Subscribe here to receive 2 minute advance e-mail notification of available names.
- Follow me at @DomainTweeter.
- Since many names I post receive simultaneous registrations, you may want to use a fast registrar and have your billing information pre-programmed. Or use a program like Roboform to fill in your information.
It’s been a busy week as I’m in the final stages of launching a new domaining tool. If you are interested in becoming a beta tester, send me a quick email and I’ll give you access.
Didn’t have time to come up with complete business ideas/end users, but here are some exact match keyword domains that are all available for registration as of 3:30PM.
1. JewelryInventorySoftware.com - $4.64 CPC, 390 monthly searches
2. CellPhoneMagnifier.com - $1.86 CPC, 390 monthly searches
3. UVMicroscope.com - $2.66, 140 monthly searches
4. JumboLenders.org - $7.07, 210 monthly searches
5. VintageGoldRings.com - $1.30 CPC, 390 monthly searches
6. GreatBannerAds.com - $3.75 CPC
7. ColorFlyers.net - $7.79 CPC, 1600 monthly searches
8. FreeCreditCardMerchantAccount.com $10.62 CPC, 260 monthly searches
9. MeditationRetreats.us - $1.53 CPC, 1600 monthly searches
* Keep in mind all of the monthly searches are from August (slowest month of year), so I would expect slightly higher demand than listed.
I’m also selling the following high CPC niche domains today…
a. PayrollServiceCompanies.com [$295] $9.43 CPC, 480 monthly searches.
Ideal for minisite or directory. Can be monetized with Adsense or with a
combination of direct advertising and featured (pay) listings.
b. ElderlyFacilities.com [$195] - $2.26 CPC, 210 monthly searces.
Good for minisite or directory listing elderly care facilities.
c. CollectionAgencies.biz [$1500] - $5.38 CPC, 22,200 monthly searches.
Ideal for minisite, directory or SEO use
All domains are with Moniker.com and are available for immediate push. To purchase, be the first to e-mail me ‘SOLD - [domainname]‘. Payment to be made within 24 hours by Moniker DNEscrow or Paypal (for past customers).
That’s it for today. Most names posted go within minutes. If you are interested in receiving future available domains…
- Subscribe here to receive 2 minute advance e-mail notification of available names.
- Follow me at @DomainTweeter.
- Since many names I post receive simultaneous registrations, you may want to use a fast registrar and have your billing information pre-programmed. Or use a program like Roboform to fill in your information.
Today’s Snapnames Job/Career Showcase Auction ends at 3:15PM EST. Wanted to share a bidding tip (based on my experience submitting a domain) and highlight a few no reserve / low reserve names I like.
Bidding Tip
I could be wrong, but I would bet that the majority of domains in the $201 - $500 reserve range have a fixed reserve price of $300. Why? Because the submission form for this auction stated that domains listed as no reserve will have a minimum bid of $300. Since I was interested in listing my name as no reserve I entered $300 (instead of 0). When the auction list was published last week, I noticed that my domain was listed in the $201 - $500 range instead of ‘no reserve’.
Did a little testing this morning, and apparently domains listed as no reserve have a minimum bid of $300, however domains listed in the $201 - $500 range will accept a $201 bid even it does not meet a minimum reserve of $300. Don’t know how helpful this information will be, but wanted to pass it along in case you will be bidding in the last few seconds of the auction, when time really counts.
My no reserve / low reserve picks
Just finished reviewing the no reserve / low reserve domains listed in today’s auction looking for ones which lend themselves to mini site development and end user resale. I ran them through Google’s keyword tool to estimate search demand and cost per click and did some basic research to determine potential end users.
Here are my picks…
1. DiscountLoans.com ($10.29 CPC / 390 monthly searches) [$1051 high bid]
This one has good potential for minisite use, lead generation or end user resale. Would also be good domain for use with one of the many loan /cash advance affiliate programs.
2. FreeLoanQuote.com ($11.12 CPC / 480 exact / 720 phrase) [$300 high bid]
Not as short or catchy as #1, but has slightly more search demand more Adwords advertisers. Nice name for lead generation or end user resale.
3. GelSocks.com ($1.18 / 720 monthly searches) [$300 high bid]
Nice plural category name. Might be interesting to set up a minisite to get ranked, then find out who makes gel socks and explain the advantages of owning their category.]
4. HumanResourcesPrograms.com ($7.05 CPC / 480 monthly searches) [0 current bids]
Nice plural category name in high CPC niche. Google shows 94,100 exact match results for this term. Good name for mini site, directory or end user resale. I’d probably develop it as a minisite/directory listing schools offering human resources programs and monetize with a combination of Adsense and direct advertising/featured listings. With a little work could be a nice end user sale. I’d start by contacting some of the 24 Adwords advertisers bidding on this exact keyword phrase. [Disclaimer: This is one of my domains.]
5. LawDegreeOnline.com ($20.06 CPC / 2,900 monthly searches) [$400]
I like this one for the same reasons as #4. Degree program traffic can be very valuable since a new student can be worth thousands to a school. High CPC makes these types of minisites good candidates for Adsense monetization.
6. LegalAssistantTraining.com ($8.00 CPC / 590 monthly searches) [0 current bids]
Nice CPC and 25 Google Adwords advertisers. Good name for mini site or end user resale.
7. LitigationSpecialist.com ($4.09 CPC / 170 monthly searches) [0 current bids]
Google shows 46,500 results for this exact phrase. Here are some examples of litigation specialist jobs. Not a lot of Adwords advertisers for this one, so end user might be the way to go on this one - would be a pretty cool URL to have on a business card 
Good luck bidding and feel free to leave a comment below with your picks (and why you like them)…
Just noticed that Spreadsheet.com expired and is being auctioned off on GoDaddy Auctions. Current bid is $15 with the auction ending in 10 days. Thought it might be a mistake, but the parked page shows that the name is with GoDaddy and expired on 8/15/09.
Should be an interesting one to follow since SpreadSheets.com sold last year for $25,000 at the Traffic/Rick Latona auction.
One thing to remember: Since GoDaddy expired auctions work differently than NameJet/Snapnames, the auction winner is not guaranteed the name, since the owner can still renew the name for a week or so after the auction takes place.
If you would like to receive future updates and available domains before I post them publicly, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here and follow me at @DomainTweeter.
